CAIR-Cleveland urges hate crime investigation into alleged hit-and-run in North Ridgeville on Sunday

The Cleveland chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations on Monday called on state and federal law enforcement to investigate an alleged vehicular assault on a Palestinian-American man in North Ridgeville on Sunday as a hate crime. The driver of a dark SUV allegedly shouted "Kill all Palestinians!" and "Long live Israel!" as he swerved to intimidate a 20-year-old Palestinian-American man on Cook Road on the border of North Ridgeville and Olmsted Falls. The driver rolled down his window to shout at the man, according to CAIR-Cleveland The driver then turned his SUV around and hit the man, who was walking home from eating lunch, shouting "Die!" during the alleged assault. The victim suffered injuries and was transported to University Hospitals St. John Medical Center in Westlake for treatment. His condition is not currently known. "We call on state, local and federal law enforcement authorities to monitor and investigate crimes related to the rising Islamophobia and anti-Palestinian racism," CAIR Cleveland Interim Executive Director Faten Odeh said in a news release. "We hope the North Ridgeville Police Department and the FBI will collect all the information they need to charge this individual with a hate crime. We should all feel safe to walk down the street to grab a bite to eat, go to the store and go to school." Anyone with information about the incident is asked to call the North Ridgeville Police Department at (440) 327-2191. The Chronicle-Telegram has requested the initial report on the incident from North Ridgeville police. CAIR and its affiliates nationwide have documented an increase in incidents of anti-Muslim bigotry in the weeks following the escalation of violence in Gaza, the organization said. CAIR encourages anyone experiencing acts of aggression, racism and Islamophobia to call their local CAIR offices and report the incidents.